OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A dangerous TikTok trend is causing thousands of dollars in damage to homes around Omaha and could result in felony charges for those involved.
The incidents, linked to what’s commonly called the “Door Kick Challenge,” have left homeowners with damaged garage doors and mounting repair bills. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the pranks have escalated beyond minor mischief.
“We are beyond the threshold of a prank. Now that we have a series of these incidents occurring, it has become a serious matter,” said Deputy Colin Driscoll.
Millard home targeted in October
Amy Houfek’s Millard home became a target in October. She said the perpetrators appeared to deliberately choose her house.
“They aimed for my house directly. They didn’t even look at the other houses,” Houfek said. “I don’t know if they are high schoolers or college kids, but they are definitely not young kids; they are older kids that know better.”
The trend has appeared throughout the country, with participants kicking in garage doors and other property as part of the social media challenge.
Damage reaches felony levels
Multiple homes have been targeted in Douglas County over the last few months, with some sustaining thousands of dollars in damage. Deputy Colin Driscoll says the cost of repairs has pushed some cases into felony territory.
“They are crimes, and at this point, the damage that has incurred to some of these garage doors is now at a felony amount of damage,” Driscoll said.
A single garage door replacement can cost between $2,000 and $5,000, not including other property damage.
“But they don’t care… that’s the bad thing is they don’t care. It’s not fair,” Houfek said.
Safety concerns and ongoing investigation
The sheriff’s office is seeking help identifying two vehicles involved with one of the targeted homes. Driscoll said the pranks pose safety risks beyond property damage.
“We don’t know what’s behind these garage doors either and you can sustain physical damage to your body, even if you are not caught by the homeowner,” he said.
The most recent case was assigned this week, indicating the incidents continue. No arrests have been made as more videos surface.
“It just seems that maybe some juveniles or individuals are bored in this capacity and this is their way of going out and driving around and having fun,” Driscoll said.
The sheriff’s office is also concerned about potential defensive actions homeowners might take when targeted.
Anyone with information about the incidents is urged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line.
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